The Orchestra play The M Club on Saturday

May 13 2009 by Will Harris, Crewe Chronicle

FOLLOWING the recent sudden death of original Electric Light Orchestra member Kelly Groucutt, the renamed Orchestra have decided to go ahead with their May tour.

The band stop off at The M Club in High Street, Crewe on Saturday featuring a line-up that includes original past hit-makers Louis Clark and Mik Kaminski alongside ELO Part II founding member Eric Troyer, Phil Bates and Gordon Townsend.

One of the most successful groups of the 1970s and 80s, ELO spent a staggering 255 weeks in the singles chart and 393 weeks in the album charts.

Their total worldwide sales are in excess of 100 million records, and in the UK alone they had 27 top 20 hits and 11 top 10 albums, including two number ones Discovery and Time.

The Birmingham-based band became synonymous with creating modern pop songs with heavily classical overtones, and their most successful tracks include Xanadu featuring Olivia Newton John, Don’t Bring Me Down and Mr Blue Sky.

A spokesman for the band said: “This will be a fitting tribute to Kelly and a show not to be missed.”

Doors open at 8pm and tickets are £21.75, phone the box office on 01270 216785 or visit www.themclub.co.uk.